The water-gas shift reaction is an equilibrium limited exothermic chemical reaction that follows the equation:CO+H2O→H2+CO2The equilibrium constant and thus the driving force for this reaction increases as temperature decreases. Typical production methods for conducting the water-gas shift reaction involve the use of two reactors. In the first reactor a gaseous reactant containing CO and H2O is typically reacted in the presence of a catalyst at a temperature of about 350° C. to about 400° C. to obtain a conversion of CO of about 80% or higher. The resulting intermediate product is then advanced through a heat exchanger where it is cooled and then to a second reactor which is operated at a temperature of about 200° C. to about 250° C. to complete the reaction. The contact time in these reactors is typically in the range of about 3 to about 9 seconds. The problem with these techniques is that they require the use of reactors that are relatively large and costly.
The present invention provides a solution to this problem by providing a process for conducting the water-gas shift reaction in a single stage process channel wherein the contact time within the process channel may be in the range of about 10 to about 1000 milliseconds. These reactors have reaction zones that are on the order of about ⅓ to about 1/900 the size of conventional processing hardware for the same production output. This invention provides a viable source of H2 for use in fuel cells, oil refining, chemical processing, and the like. The inventive process is also suitable for conducting other chemical reactions including Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, steam reforming, methanol synthesis, ammonia synthesis, and the like.